Description:
Hatlet of brown velvet. The open-crown hat is formed of a hollow square with down-turned sides and corners, covered in brown velvet and edged in tiny pearls. "Flying" around the hat are 8 golden stamped metal hummingbirds. One wing of each bird is hinged, allowing movement of the birds as the wearer moves their head. Over all is a brown net veil "capturing" the hummingbirds, with scattered gathers of 4 pearls. The underside is edged in brown grosgrain ribbon, and has two small plastic combs attached to secure hatlet to wearer's head. Sewn onto the inner ribbon is maker's label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Also sewn onto inner ribbon is hand-written label "917".

Description:
Hatlet of indigo felt and beads. The hatlet is formed as a roughly rectangular piece of stiffened navy blue felt worn across the head from ear to ear, edged with navy blue beads. Surmounting the hatlet is a stacked series of four smaller stiffened rectangular strips running across the head, each edged with navy blue beads, with a fifth piece running perpendicular across the whole from front to back, forming a bow-like form at top front of hatlet. Hatlet is lined in stiffened navy blue mesh, edged inside with band of dark blue/gray/black grosgrain ribbon. At either side are attached small plastic combs to secure hatlet to wearer's head. Designer's Label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago".

Description:
Pillbox style hat of lacquered black straw. The cylindrical crown is slightly domed, the sides slightly convex. Embellished with a single large faceted black plastic button "jewel" attached at side. The whole is overlaid with black net/veil, with scattered spherical black beads sewn to the net/veil. The interior of the crown is lined in black cloth and black mesh. Around the edge is an inner black grosgrain ribbon hatband. Attached to the hatband are two small plastic combs to secure the hat to wearer's head. Designer's label sewn to hatband: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago".

Description:
Hatlet of black faille and velvet. In the form of a modified fillet or bandeau that sits atop head and extends from ear to ear, the hatlet is formed of a pair of curved segments of black cotton faille with black beaded edging that cross and are "tied" with a band of black velvet, giving the effect of a black velvet bow edged in beads. Lined in black velvet, which is visible at front where edges curve upwards. Attached black elastic string in back to secure to wearer's head. Stray threads suggest hat may have had a veil, now missing. Designer's Label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Gift of Mrs. Meg Gordon, Chicago, Ill.

Description:
Hatlet of light orange straw. The hat is formed as an openwork bow made of a ribbon of woven light orange straw. The bow curves to fit the shape of the head, with all edges trimmed in orange glass beads. Two small plastic combs are attached to the underside of the hatlet to secure it to wearer's head. Designer's label sewn to underside of hatlet: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago"; and hand-written style label "620"

Description:
Hatlet of green velvet, artificial flowers and crystals. The circular crown formed of an open ring covered with velvet, embellished with a dense covering of velvet and silk artificial flowers and with scattered crystals/rhinestones. The hatlet is overlaid with a fine green net/veil. The underside of the hatlet is lined in green mesh and edged with green velvet. Two small plastic combs are attached by elastic combs, to secure the hatlet to wearer's head. Maker's label sewn to underside of hat: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago".

Description:
Hatlet of blue embroidered appliques. The irregularly-shaped skull-cap is formed of stiffened blue mesh with a wired edge covered in dark navy blue velvet. Over the surface of the hatlet are applied navy blue embroidered appliques of coiled braid and French knots. Stray threads indicate the hat probably had an overlaying net/veil, now missing. Underneath the hat are attached two small plastic combs to secure hatlet to wearer's head. Designer's label sewn inside hat: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago", and a second, hand-written label indicating the style(?): "346".

Description:
Hatlet of black velvet. Main section of hatlet formed as a black velvet skullcap, with large black velvet bow in front with 7 large stiff black velvet loops at each side. Interior lined in black mesh and edged with black grosgrain ribbon. At either side is a small plastic comb to secure hat to wearer's head. Designer's label inside crown: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago" Gift of Mrs. R.I. Ross, through the Chicago Historical Society.

Description:
Turban of printed fabric. The turban is made from fabric printed with blue, red and brown ocher ducks and white cattails on a navy blue background. The turban is lined in dull red mesh, and has an inner hatband of dark blue grosgrain ribbon. Designer's label sewn to inner hatband: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Beside designer's label is model number label: "720" Accompanied by a single short hatpin with square multi-colored glass head.

Description:
Hatlet of white plastic/vinyl tubing. Hatlet formed as an openwork ring with overlapping/crossing ends. Applied to the ring are three large bows made of the same tubing, set so that the trailing ribbons point upwards. Ring is lined in stiff white mesh and edged with a thin band of off-white velvet. At either side is attached a small plastic comb to secure hatlet to wearer's head. Designer's label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Gift of Mrs. Ann Lee Ross.

Description:
Turban of printed fabric. The turban is made from fabric printed with lemon yellow, pink, black, and white geometric forms and arcs. The turban is lined in yellow mesh, and has an inner hatband of black grosgrain ribbon. Attached to the inner band are two small plastic combs to secure the hat to wearer's head. Designer's label sewn to inner hatband: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Accompanied by a single short hatpin with wrapped head.

Description:
Hatlet of brown plastic tubing. Hatlet formed of a spiral of twisted brown plastic tubing. The shallow, dished crown has four large bows of the same tubing spaced along the edges, with the "ends" pointing upwards. The hatlet has a brown net veil, with pieces of the brown tubing worked into some of the intersections. The inside of the crown is lined in brown mesh, and edged in brown velvet piping. Two plastic combs, one at each side, are inside crown to secure hatlet to wearer's head. Designer's Label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago".

Description:
Pillbox hat of blue mesh and straw work. The cylindrical blue mesh crown is very slightly domed, with an extending section at front which folds down and under. The whole is covered with a field of 1" (2.54 cm) wide blue straw work flower heads. The inside of the crown is lined in a fine blue mesh and edged with an inner hatband of dark blue grosgrain ribbon. Attached to the ribbon are two small plastic combs to secure hat to wearer's head. Designer's label sewn to inner hatband: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago"; and a second, hand-written label indicating the style(?): "813".

Description:
Hatlet of black velvet with beads and cut-steel butterflies. Black velvet hatlet, the slightly domed openwork crown formed by three "teardrop" shapes of black velvet edged with black beads, connected at the points, and connected at bottom edges with short curved black velvet "bridges" also edged with black beads. In each of the teardrop sections is set a large black stamped metal "cut steel" style butterfly. Evidence of black net veil, now missing. Interior of crown lined with black felt, and with two plastic combs to secure hatlet to wearer's head. Designer's label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Model number label(?): "649" Gift of Mrs. William S. North.

Description:
Embroidered hatlet. Formed of two hollow teardrop shapes overlaid on each other and edged with tiny gold beads. The shapes are covered in light green satin with is heavily embroidered with flowers and leaves in red, blue, greens, yellow, brown, purple/lavender. At back of hat is a sculptural bow of the same materials, edged in gold beads and with a quadruple strand of the beads at the "knot". Overall is a brown net veil with attached embroidered pieces matching the embroidery on the hatlet. The hatlet is lined in brown knit, with a plastic comb attached at each side to secure hat to wearer's head. Sewn into lining is maker's label: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago". Gift of John C. Murphy, through the Chicago Historical Society.

Description:
Calotte style hat in cut out triangular shape of white leather with white glass beaded edges on leather strips. Bow of same on center front top. Bow at center back of white glass beads. Navy veil. Two small combs, one attached on each side. Designer's label on inside band: "Bes-Ben / Made in Chicago"